But when Uzziah grew powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. Sermons
I. A PAINFUL SPECTACLE in the person of a leprous king. In Uzziah the leper we have one who occupied the highest place in the kingdom brought to an estate which the meanest subject in the realm, who had the hue of health in his cheeks, would not have accepted in place of his own; we have one in whose presence it was once an honour to stand, and whose face it was a high privilege to behold, reduced to such a condition that it was a kindness for any one to be with him, a pain for any eye to regard him, a sacrifice and defilement for any one to touch him; we have a man whose presence once brought highest honour to the home the threshold of which he might condescend to cross, now brought so low that no humblest householder in the land could or would permit him to pass his door; we have a man who did stand foremost in every religious privilege, debarred from entering the outer court of the sanctuary; we have one who had spent his manly energies in all forms of happy and useful activity, shut up in a separate house and secluded from affairs; we have an instance of complete humiliation, and we cannot fail to be affected by it if we dwell upon all that it meant to the unhappy subject of it. II. AN APPARENTLY HEAVY SENTENCE FOR ONE OFFENCE. We inquire - Why this terrible visitation? And we find that it was because the king invaded the temple of God and attempted, to do that which was not permitted by law. To any one judging superficially, the sentence may seem severe and indeed excessive. It may seem unjust to visit one day's wrong-doing, one act of guilt, with a heavy penalty for life - a penalty that disabled and disqualified, as leprosy did, for all the duties and all the enjoyments of human life. But we have not to look far to find - III. THE EXPLANATION Or THE SEVERITY. This is twofold. 1. It was of the first importance that the royal power should not presume upon ecclesiastical functions. It was not a mere question between king and priest; that would have been small enough. It was a question whether God should continue to rule, through his chosen officers, over the. nation, or whether the king should set aside the divinely given Law, and practically make himself supreme. To defy and disobey one of the clearest and one of the most emphatic precepts in the Law, and to assume a prerogative which God had strictly confined to the priestly order, was a step that was revolutionary in its character and tendency, that was calculated to overturn the most sacred traditions, and to break up the ancient usage as well as to lessen that sense of the Divine separateness and sanctity which it was the first object of the great Lawgiver to fasten on the mind of the people. It was a daring and a dangerous innovation, which nothing but overgrown presumption would have attempted, and which demanded the most striking and impressive rebuke that could be administered. The sentence was judicial, and was intended to warn all others from acts that were injurious, and from an ambition that was unholy. 2. It was the punishment, not merely of one sinful action, but also of a guilty state of heart. Uzziah would not have done this sacrilegious action if he had not fallen from the humility, which is the first condition of true piety, into a state of condemnable spiritual pride. "His heart was lifted up;" "his heart was haughty, and his eyes were lofty," and therefore he wanted to "exercise himself in things too high for him" (Psalm 131:1). Much success had spoiled him, as it spoils so many in every land and Church. It had made him arrogant, and human arrogance is a moral evil of the first magnitude, displeasing in a very high degree to the Holy One of Israel, utterly unbecoming in any one of the children of men, exposing the soul to other sins, requiring a strong and sometimes even a stern discipline that it may be uprooted from the heart and life. It may be hoped, and perhaps believed, that in the "several house" (ver. 21) in which Uzziah afterwards lived, he learned the lesson which God designed to teach him, humbled his heart before his Maker, and came to bless that pruning hand which dealt so severe a stroke to save the vine from fruitlessness and death. 1. Shrink from intruding where God does not call you. But, more particularly: 2. Recognize the fact that success in any sphere is a "slippery place," and calls for much self-examination and much earnest prayer for humility and simplicity of spirit. - C.
For he was marvellously helped till he was strong. Two kinds of help, natural and supernatural.1. A time when we cannot help ourselves. Infancy. 2. A time of growth, when we can help ourselves. Youth, manhood. 3. When thus strong the supernatural help ceases.Not less provision made on that account. There is joy and co-operation with God. As an earthly father requires to be obeyed and served, beholds strength and disposition to co-operate, so the heavenly Father, etc. (G. Matheson.) 1. The particulars of his prosperity.(1) He prospered in war. He had an army of 307,500 men, over whom were 2,600 mighty and valorous captains. All were fully equipped for service. With these soldiers Uzziah fought against the Philistines, the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, the Mehunims and the Amorites, and in each case he was victorious.(2) He prospered in building. He repaired and fortified the walls of Jerusalem, reared towers "a hundred and fifty cubits high" (Josephus), built walled towns in the desert, and made channels for the conveyance of water.(3) He prospered in agriculture. "He planted it with all sorts of plants, and sowed it with all sorts of seeds."(4) Uzziah's prosperity appears to have been general. He did not keep up a great military establishment at the expense of other departments. His name spread far abroad, and he was acknowledged to be an illustrious and a highly-favoured prince. 2. The author of his prosperity. This was God. (Uzziah signifies "strength from Jehovah.") "He was marvellously helped." God helped him against his enemies, and in all he undertook. It might have been otherwise. Instead of victory he might have experienced defeat. His building and agricultural schemes might have proved unsuccessful. It is always well to set the Lord at our right hand. We may plough and plant, but He only can cause the seed to germinate, and grow, and fructify. We may contrive and work, but He only can bless our endeavours. 3. The secret of Uzziah's prosperity. It is distinctly set forth in the fifth verse of this (26) chapter, "He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and so long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper." What is there that God cannot do for a man who takes Him into his counsels? He can help him "marvellously." He can exalt valleys and level mountains, make crooked places straight and rough places plain. He can bring clients into the office and ready-money customers into the shop. He has the hearts of all men in His hands, and all the forces of the universe; and He can do whatsoever He will. II. UZZIAH'S PRIDE. 1. His prosperity made him proud. "His heart was lifted up." A great change for the worse was wrought in him. Whether it was brought about suddenly or gradually we are not told. We assume that Uzziah did not become proud all at once. He who had formerly recognised God as the prime cause of his splendid achievements became wilfully blind, and we shall soon see what effect this had upon his conduct. 2. His pride led him into presumption. The tendency of pride is to make men giddy, and as the result their vision is beclouded, their judgment is perverted.(1) The occasion of his presumption. Josephus tells us that it was "a remarkable day, a general festival," and we are left to supply the rest.(2) The nature of his presumption. He usurped the office of the priest. There are hereditary moral diseases as well as those which are physical and mental. Uzziah's folly was in some respects a reproduction of the folly of which Amaziah his father had been guilty. III. UZZIAH'S PUNISHMENT. 1. He was resisted in his attempt to do that which was unlawful; resisted by the proper guardians of the temple. Azariah, the high priest, seeing what he was about to do, went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, who were valiant men. No time was lost (ver. 18). 2. He was smitten with leprosy. "The leprosy rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord." There was the bright scaly spot which told its own terrible tale — the mark of God's disapprobation, and it was on his brow, where all could see it. 3. He was thrust out of the temple as unclean. It was not necessary, however, to use force; conscious that God had smitten him, he hurried out, self-condemned, probably shrieking out his woe, and cursing his folly. 4. He was separated from society (Leviticus 13:46). 5. He, being a leper, was buried alone. Josephus tells us that he "was buried by himself in his own garden." In all likelihood his resting-place was a field or garden adjoining the usual burial-place of the kings.Lessons: 1. God is the giver of prosperity. 2. Prosperous men are in danger of becoming proud. 3. Pride is often followed by presumption. 4. Presumption is sure of punishment. (J. Baker Norton.) People Aaron, Amaziah, Ammonites, Amos, Amoz, Arabians, Azariah, Hananiah, Isaiah, Jecholiah, Jecoliah, Jeiel, Jotham, Maaseiah, Maonites, Mehunim, Meunim, Meunites, Uzziah, ZechariahPlaces Angle, Ashdod, Corner Gate, Egypt, Eloth, Gath, Gurbaal, Jabneh, Jerusalem, Shephelah, Valley GateTopics Acted, Altar, Burn, Burning, Causing, Corruptly, Destruction, Downfall, Entered, Evil, Grew, Heart, Incense, Led, Lifted, Perfume, Perfumes, Powerful, Pride, Proud, Purpose, Strong, Temple, Transgressed, Trespassed, Trespasseth, UnfaithfulOutline 1. Uzziah succeeding, and reigning well in the days of Zechariah, prospers16. Waxing proud, he invades the priest's office, and is smitten with leprosy 22. He dies, and Jotham succeeds him Dictionary of Bible Themes 2 Chronicles 26:16 5776 achievement 7735 leaders, political 5925 rashness 1310 God, as judge Library Jabneh. Jamnia. ...Pliny doth dispose the towns here in this order;--"Azotus, the two Jamnes, Joppe."--R. Benjamin, in the order backward, thus,--"Joppah, Jabneh, Azotus." That is Jabneh with this author, that is Jaminia with the other. A remembrance of this place is in 2 Chronicles 26:6: but the chief fame of it is for the Sanhedrim, that was placed there, both before the destruction of Jerusalem and after. Rabban Gamaliel, St. Paul's master, first presided there. Under whom came forth that cursed form of prayer, … John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica The Great Slaughters and Sacrilege that were in Jerusalem. Of Preparation. 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